The earth beneath the children's feet trembled violently as a titanic energy burst from the fog-wreathed wood. Ancestral, gnarled trees creaked and twisted, their tortured branches stretching like clenched claws, as though the wood itself recoiled from the horror of the beast. A furnace aura glowed in the dragon's maw, casting ghoulish shadows that danced amidst the charred canopy, foreshadowing devastation in a whirlwind of oven.
But the siblings didn't step back.
The older sibling moved forward, fingers closing around the handle of their sword, eyes locked.
"You said you want to dell on my domain, oh?
"exactly" the siblings answered
Kyle took a step back ,she conjured up a whirling sphere of blue flames in her palm.
The dragon continued,
"I believe you have to prove yourselves if you want to be under my protection",
"mmhh you look strong although you have along way to go"
" Well then lets begin the trial, be careful not to die because I won't hold back"
A thundering growl wracked the blackness, shaking the very air. The dragon spun its enormous form, wings folding in as it glared down at them and flew up in the air looking at them.
"It would be inappropriate of me to fight in this form"
Suddenly, a blinding light erupted from the sky, and a figure descended—tall, regal, clad in crimson robes that shimmered like molten lava. The figure landed gracefully before them, smirking with an air of divine authority.
Dragon: "Prove it, then."
The mist erupted as magic exploded between them. The dragon struck first—fire, hotter even than the sun, incinerating through the air. The siblings split apart, dodging the flames with practiced ease.
Kyle threw the fire ball she had on her palm an the dragon was shocked.
Leon closed the distance in a flash, his sword blazing like a comet as he plunged into the beast's throat. But the dragon would not be so easily killed—it countered by holding the sword imbued with sword qi before it reached it throat and throwing , consecutive punches powerful enough to kill in a single strike.
"This is fun" The dragon mumbled.
Kyle observed the ferocity of their battle, her gaze flickering with awe and trepidation.
"You use an unusual sword play?, I've been here on this continent for five thousand years and I can't pinpoint your origin of you sword play." The dragon said in awe.
The battle posed for a moment and then the clash intensified, raw energy and magic colliding in a symphony of destruction.
Leon Released his aura in a shockwave that bucked wreckage into motion, forcing the dragon to improvise.
Smoke, magic, steel—the battle raged, raw energy crashing between warriors of legendary power.
Then, amidst the insanity, Leon came down, with a broken sword imbued with aura shaped like a blade to cover the broken part of the blade, he rushed towards the dragon using his celestial footwork and in a blink the sword was at the throat of the dragon.
"You asked what happens when our strength meets yours."
The dragon, unperturbed but demonstrated, let out a low, wise laugh.
"You are not prey."
A moment of quiet. Then—the flames dissipated.
The dragon exhaled. It regarded them with new understanding.
"You want a kingdom in the underworld… Fine. You have the right to claim your place here."
The siblings, victors not in victory, but in recognition, held their ground.
The Forest of Nightmares had tested them.
And they had proven they belonged.
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